


the world will always be there (and so will i)

by Lucigoosey_The_Lightbringer



Series: Here We Are In The Future... [6]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brother Feels, Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Comfort No Hurt, Fluff, Gen, Pink Steven Is Not Steven, Post-Change My Mind, Protective Siblings, Recovery, Sad and Happy, Steven Universe Has PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Steven Universe's Brother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:12:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28475217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucigoosey_The_Lightbringer/pseuds/Lucigoosey_The_Lightbringer
Summary: But still, watching his brother, he knows their mother had done something right. Steven wouldn't be here if not for the decisions she had made, and Aster sees what she could have seen.| Post-CMM (Change My Mind.)
Relationships: Greg Universe & Aster Universe, Greg Universe & Steven Universe, Steven Universe & Aster Universe
Series: Here We Are In The Future... [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2057664
Comments: 10
Kudos: 30





	the world will always be there (and so will i)

**Author's Note:**

> Happy New Year everyone!!! Enjoy some Steven and Aster brotherly feels and fluff in this new Aster POV story~   
> I hope everyone has a better year than what 2020 threw at us!!! Fingers crossed, guys! Fingers crossed!

"Aster, we're back!"

"Ohhh Azzy I got something for yoooouuu!"

Aster blinks a few times, eyes unmoving from his phone for a few seconds, before he reluctantly lifts his gaze to look up toward the doorway. Of course, he's happy to hear his brother's voice, especially sounding so cheerful and excited, so he's not too hesitant to pause the TubeTube video he'd been watching and pocket his phone for the time being. Greg and Steven had gone shopping, something Aster doesn't tend to do unless he's asked specifically to come along. He's not a very… social person, certainly not an _extrovert_ , and while he doesn't quite go out of his way to avoid the public, he only really goes out for Steven. But, recently, their father had proven himself somewhat capable of looking after the hybrid on his own, and Aster figures Steven doesn't need him hovering over his shoulder worrying about him all the time. Of course, being in his brother's company brings him much more joy than being alone, and he loves any amount of time he gets to spend with the hybrid, but he's aware they don't need to be joined at the hip.

 _We're not siamese twins, after all._ He smirks to himself at his own joke as he climbs down from his bed. His hands move to his wrists as he turns, the feeling of fabric shimmering to life between his fingertips as he summons his jacket and adjusts his sleeves, leaving the bedroom.

As soon as he enters the living room, Steven practically throws himself over the back of the couch (and Aster freezes for a good few seconds in alarm, but his brother lands carefully on his good leg) and balances himself before making his way over on his good leg, holding a rather large box. Aster hardly pays it any attention, however, instead choosing to spare the hybrid the most disapproving look he can muster. "Why aren't you using your cane? You're going to hurt yourself," he admonishes, looking back to where the cane stands propped up against the couch.

"Oh." Steven pauses, an alarmed look rapidly flitting across his face. Before he can panic, however, Greg retrieves the cane for him with a smile, and Aster watches and feels his brother relax in an instant, frayed nerves soothed once more as he takes the cane and props it up beside him, leaning his weight against it briefly. Then he presents the bag to Aster with a grin. "Anyway, tada~! We picked this up at the store," he announces, rather proudly, as Aster takes the box with a curious look, seemingly much to his brother's relief. "It's called a Switch. It's a video game system you can carry around with you and stuff. And I know you don't like going out and interacting with people, but if you do ever wanna come out with us, you can bring that to keep yourself entertained," Steven adds, and Aster's lips tug upwards into a faint, brief smile.

His love for his brother is something that cannot be expressed in words. The affection that bubbles in his chest, and the childishly giddy feeling it brings him, serves as a soft, easy reminder that he's not as old as he feels like he is sometimes. He peers at the box for a moment, while Steven retreats back to the couch and props his cane up again, grabbing a similar-looking box and holding it up on the arm of the couch. "Aaaand I got myself one too. Because it looked interesting. And also, we can play games together," he adds over his shoulder, setting to work opening the box. Aster follows suit with his own after a few seconds.

"Well, that certainly sounds wonderful," he tells him genuinely, another smile tugging at his lips as he manages to peel the box open and reaches inside. "And thank you, Ste…"

His brother's name freezes on the tip of his tongue.

It had shown a different picture on the side of the box Aster had been looking at, but the console itself is a soft, light pink color toward the top, which then fades into blue toward the bottom. Carefully, as he lifts it out of the box and removes the plastic wrapping from around it, he also notices something else inside - it has the same colors as the console, but with a pattern of darker pink flowers dancing across it. He's heavily reminded of his time when he was chained, stuck and surrounded by a blue sky, flowers grown around him from each of Steven's visits. There's no anger, no bitterness or resentment accompanying the memory. If anything, what he feels can only be described as fondness. The chains, and being trapped aside, the flowers alone are far too tainted with memories of his brother for him to feel anything but love even now.

"Hey," Steven's voice breaks him from his thoughts, but he doesn't startle. "Are you- is it okay?"

Okay. Aster wants to laugh - it's so much more than just 'okay'. It's _exquisite._

"It's perfect," the Diamond responds softly, looking up at his brother again. Steven holds his own console in his hands, shaped just like Aster's, but patterned much differently. It's pitch black in color, with multicolored stars painted all across it. It brings another grin to Aster's face despite himself, staring at it for a while, before lifting his gaze back to his brother. "Thank you, Steven."

What's even more _exquisite_ is the way Steven lights up and grins at him, the joy and love he can see in his brother's eyes, and he knows two things. One, his brother is everything. Everything good in the world, everything he adores, everything he knows he'll ever need.

And two, he's going to be okay. He's going to be happy again.

_(Someday  
_ _Somewhere  
_ _Somehow)_

The familiar tune his heart sings makes his smile widen, and he knows he's doing the 'thing' with his eyes again by the way Steven looks at him then, with nothing but fondness in his gaze.

_(You'll love again)_

Actually… it is very familiar, isn't it? Aster holds his Switch close, watching Steven for a moment, and it's easy to see the parallels between this and the situation he'd found himself in not too long ago. A cycle of pain and violence and abandonment, broken trust and broken promises and broken relationships, and at the center of it all stands just another victim of that cycle, a victim who had known no better, had been shown no better, than to keep it going on and on and on. A victim who _had_ attempted to break it, _had_ attempted to leave it behind, but continuously fell short time and time and time again - because, Aster knows, that's just how it works sometimes. Sometimes, trauma wins. Good intentions do not pave the path to Hell, but sometimes it's easy to veer off track when the lines in the road are too blurry to see clearly.

But still, watching his brother, he knows their mother had done something right. Steven wouldn't be here if not for the decisions she had made, and Aster sees what she could have seen.

He was not a manipulation, or a tool, or a bridge, or an escape.

He is the end of the cycle.

He is Steven Universe.

_(You just need to find someone.)_

And he's not perfect, because nobody is. And he will make mistakes. And he has. And he'll veer off track, lose sight of the road. He'll fall short in a million different ways. He has. He did. He will.

Trauma will win, because it's an unending war, and not every battle can be won, and there will be regrets and mistakes and relapses, but Steven will be okay. Aster will be there with him to make sure he keeps fighting, makes sure he has the motivation to fight. Aster will be there in every way he can, but he can't fight Steven's battles. All he can do is stick with him, and gently steer him back onto the right track when he gets lost, and remind him that it will get better, that the sky will still be up there, that the sun will always shine, that the stars will keep on falling…

_For the ones who wish at night  
_ _The mountains won't start moving  
_ _And the rivers won't run dry_

That the world would always be there.

_And so will I…_


End file.
